


Proof

by idiosyncratic



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-23 05:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/922752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idiosyncratic/pseuds/idiosyncratic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How the conversation between Pepper and Tony might have gone had she answered her phone near the end of the film.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Proof

_"Shall I call Miss Potts, sir?"_

_"You might as well."_

\---

Pepper had long since made peace with the fact that Tony was Iron Man; that, as Tony had put it, he and the suit were one. Tony had never been what one would call a safe person - any of his numerous stunts, even before becoming a superhero, were perfect testament to that fact - and despite Tony's protests to the contrary, Pepper had almost lost him one too many times over the past few years.

Still, death never seemed an option for Tony; because despite attempts by various opponents, and his own arc reactor no less, Tony still managed to pull through. Rhodey would jokingly refer to this as Tony's 'cockroach reflex', and she would laugh as if to convince herself that Tony would be alright.

But now, several thousand miles away from the battlefield of New York, watching in strained silence as Tony attached himself to a warhead meant for the city, Pepper couldn't see a way out of this one.

It took her several seconds to realise that the odd vibrating from behind her was her phone; she turned from the screen and snatched it up.

"Hello?"

"Pepper?"

Pepper whipped around, eyes fixed on the image of Iron Man headed for the gaping hole in the atmosphere.

"Tony, are you- I-" Several thousand things came to mind that she could say; _what are you doing, stop this, are you insane, you ARE insane, you could die, I love you_ ; several thousand things that would be left unsaid. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine. Just taking care of a little something."

Pepper swallowed. For a moment, she scoured the tumultuous wreck of her mind in attempt to find something to say before Tony interrupted.

"When this is over, we should go to Venice."

Despite herself, Pepper laughed.

"Venice, at this time of year?"

She could imagine Tony smiling the way he always did when she protested against his schemes.

"It'll be fun, I promise. Let's go. Next week, we'll go."

The camera zoomed, and Pepper inhaled sharply as Tony flew into the portal.

"Will that be all Mr. Stark?"

"Just one more thing Ms. Potts." Tony's voice began to crackle. Pepper gripped her phone, as if trying to hold on to Tony himself for just a minute longer.

"You're the proof. You've always been the-"

The phone went dead. Pepper released the breath she was holding. The phone slipped from her hand and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Trembling, she reached out and pressed a hand to her television.

"Please..." she whispered.

Hot tears blurred her vision, and she squeezed her eyes closed against the hurt.

"Please, please..." Over and over she whispered, like a prayer.

And then - there he was; drifting back in at the last minute like he always did. Her body sagged with relief, and she laughed somewhat hysterically. She was going to kill him this time, she really was.

Two days later, standing in what remained of Stark Tower's top floor, looking out at New York - broken, but safe - Pepper smiled to herself.

"Not the hero type, my ass."


End file.
